Odisha relaxes weekend shutdown restrictions in September

Odisha government Tuesday relaxed a number of restrictions imposed to stop the spread of coronavirus in September in view of the declining rate of infection in the state. Special Relief Commissioner P K Jena said the government has decided to withdraw weekend shutdowns from all places in the state, including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri.

However, night curfew will continue in Odisha from 10 pm to 5 am to restrict the movement of the people. Essential services like cab and food delivery aggregators will be allowed to operate during the night curfew and there will be no restriction on plying of commercial vehicles, including passenger buses and goods carrying trucks.

Shops, business establishments will be allowed to function and other activities will be allowed between 5 am to 10 pm, he said.


The restrictions were imposed in May to contain the spread of the pathogen during the second coronavirus wave.

Odisha government has also extended the ceiling on the number of participants in weddings, thread ceremony and funerals from 50 to 250. This will include the host, guests and the service providers like the cook, priest and others, Jena said.

Under no circumstances the number of participants in such events will be more than 250, he said adding that the restrictions on holding religious, political and cultural congregations will continue to remain in force through out September.

Library, museum, information centres, cinema halls, auditoriums and malls will operate from 5 am to 10 pm with full capacity adhering to the COVID-19 norms to avoid the spread of the disease. The owner of the auditoriums, shops and cinema halls and malls will be held accountable in the event of violation of COVID-19 norms by the people in their premises.

The government has relaxed the mandatory Covid vaccination certificate and RT-PCR test for entering malls and other places.

It authorised district collectors and commissioners of police, including in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, to impose additional restrictions keeping in view the local situation. PTI AAM HMB KK KK KK